Automatic loader for lift-carriers.



Ao. H.' LISTER'. AUTOMATIC LOADER FOB LIFT CARRIERS.

. APPLIOATIONTILED una, 1-91o.

' K Patented Apl.2, 1912.

' C. H. LISTER.

AUTOMATIC LOADERv FOR LIFT CARRIERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY-23, 1910. 1,021,876. Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

s sums-snm' a.

` for Lift-Carriers, ofwhi'ch the following is? .fa specification.

To all .whom at may concern;

UNITED- STATESQPATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LIsTER, or sT. PAUL, MINNiisoTA, AssIGNOn TOMINNEsOTA MANUFAC-l 'roanne AssOCIATIoN, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OP MIN- NEsOTA.

AUTOMATIC LOADER FOR LIFT-CARRIERS.

lSpeciation of Letters Patent. l

Patented Apr. 2', 1912.

Application filed- May 23, 1910.-. Serial No. 562,903.

B e it'knjown that I, CHARLES H. L1sTER,"-a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county ofV Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have'inven'ted certain new and. useful Improvements in Automatic Loaders My invention relatesto improvementsl automatic loaders for lift' carriers, itsob.' ject being t0 ravida improved, .means for f automatically regulating and facilitating theHt-ransferi-of packages -from an inclined carrier to a vertical or' straight' lift elevator. Where-a succession ,of packages are .run

- down'an'inclined carrier tobe picked up by f a straight lift" elevator, some means' must .be

- provided for checking the travel of the suci ceedingpackages until the foremost packffv age has been picked up 'by the .elevator-and Icarried to a different level', But when vthe carrier is inclined very slightly or not -atall I 'at its discharge end, andthe run of thesucceeding packages has' thus been checkedit isnecessary.v that some means be providedfor' agai'n -setting^them inmotion and pro- 'jecting them onto the elevator. With these objects inview ,I-have provided improved means controlled by the travel of the 'ele-l vator for automatically regulating .and facilitating the loading ofthe packages in a step'by step manner. froman inclined car-- rier'to the loading vplatform -of a' Straight, liftelevatorflTo this end the invention consists inthe construction', combination and arrangement- -of parts hereinafter described--and'claimed --In the accompanying drawings forming :part of vthis specication, ,Figture'l is a per-- spective view of a carrler -em odying the inventionfwithsomeparts broken away; Fig.

"2 is a-detail in'perspective of `one 'of the 'ele- "vator platforms; Fig'. B'is a longitudinal section on line :una ofFig', ,1,- withxso-Ine parts brokenaway, showing the parts in boxz'urestingpositiong Fig. 4is`a similar View showing-the parts in box-discharging posi- I jtion; and Figs. 5, 6, .7;.andj 8 'are diagram-4 matic views of thestraightlift elevator and the discharge vend, of .the inclinedfcarrier showingthe partsl in several successiveposi- .'tions assumed by theml inthe ,operation of 'the elevator. i

fiatheembodimenf 0f the 'invention Shown "in the -drawings A represents the 4frame Oft.

l onel ofthe loading platforms of a' straight liftelevator of a type Awell known inthe art,

and Bthe side bars of an inclined gravity carrier, also of a type well known in the art, which is almost horizontal at its discharge end.- In these'side bars-are journaled the rollers C of the carrier. The side members of the loading platform are secured by means of bolts2 upon .the vertical guides D of the elevator frame. For convenience'and 65 clearness of illustration I havev shown .the-

guides on one side only ofthe elevator frame. Within, these guides works an elevator of well known construction having a. series of horizontal platforms-or trays E 'supported one above another at convenient and equal vdistances apart.y Each platform consists of a'crossbar 3," which tits slidingly withinthe guides Djoneither side4 of the'franfie,l and a plurality of spaced longitudinal bars oriiinf gers 4. The platforms are shown supported t one from another by means ofchains 20.'

' 'The lloading platform comprises two sets of oppositely disposed longitudinal bars or fingers 6 and 7, respectively, mounted'wi'thin the frame 'A so 'as to be capable of being swung upwardly vupon a transverse horizontal axis byv an ascending load .uponthe elevator. In the drawings the bars 6V cornprising the .set adjacent to thefinclinedV carrier 'are shown secured at the end near. the carrier to a transverse rock shaft `8 jour# naledin the sides of the frame A. This rock shaft has atone end abent arm 9,*which, by

'-90 the front member 11'V ofl the frame 1A, preengagementwit-h ',the arm l0 at one end of vents the bars 6 from turning down under their own weightor that of a superimposedload. Upon the bentarm 9 is an adjustable counterw'eight 12.

. 95 Thebars -or ngers of each set, 6 and 7 5 f Upon all of of the .frame of the loading platform, and .ao

` are providegilontheir under sides. with a cross bar 15, whichforms a stop -or rest for the oscillating-tilting framelg This Aframe',

as here shown,v comprises a plurality of spacedlongitudinal bars 16 supported upon cross straps or braces 17 ,"and.is ivoted at' its forward o'r.inner end vto the slde'bars B of the carrierv frame by means of pivotpins 18 which pass. freely through the adjacent bars 1 6 of the tilting frame. On the bars 16 4are mounted rollers 19 which `project slightly above the bara flhusit will be seen that this tilting frame constitutes structurally and functionally a part of the gravity carrier itself, a structure upon which'the packages .are received 4and supported, rbut one which can be raised at'its rear end so as vto' 'increase the pitch or incline of the discharge end of the carrier'sufliciently to`cause the package upon it to move down to the Iloading platform. And by arrangingthe pivotal support of the tilting frame at its forward end this forward or discharge end will Abe maintained at all times at or just above lthe level of the loading platform-A so thatl the packages need jump over no1 inter: vening gap between the carrier and the loading platform.`

' In order to arrest the travel of the boxes G just before they reach the loading platform', a pair of oscillating bars orplevers 21 A are pivoted between their ends upon ears 22 depending from the cross bar 15. At their forward or innerends the levers are formed with upwardly extending ,retaining arms or hooks 23, which normally stand up above the endof the tilting frame ,in the path of ythe packages coming down the inclined carrier,` as shown in Figi 3. At their rear ends ages, as shown in these levers are pivotally connected by means of links 24 with the strap, or brace 17` near the rear end of the tilting frame. Thus when the frame is tilted up on its `pivots 18 at the' front it will lift therear ends ofthe' levers 21 and turn the retaining arms 28 down out of the'path of descending pack- The frame F is tilted by-means of arock shaft 34 j ournaled in depending brackets 25'I upon the side bars of the inclined carrier. To this rock shaft is keyed a pair of arms26 which' are pivotally connected with the y i -frame by means of links 271' lUpon the outer end of the rock shaft is a crank arm 28 which is pivotally connected by means of a4 link 29 with the lower 'end' of a tripping lever 30 which is pvotally mounted upon a bracket'l carried by one of the guides `D of the'elevatorframek,This lever 1s mountedso as to swing upon -a transverse horlzontal.

axisjust within the .guides in position to be engaged and turned by the elevator platform E as it rises' up above the loading platform, but but of the way of any load uponA the. elevator. 'Ihe linkj;29 is. adjustable inlr i' Adown the inclined carrier.

seen that by the use of these devices the suclength by means of a turn-buckle 32, wherebythe angle at which the lever 30 normally standsrcann bevaried and adjusted so as to re'gulatethe time and height at which the lever will be engaged by the ascending elevator latform.- Inji'gs. -5 to 8, inclusive, I have shown diagrammatically the operation of the loading devices and elevator at various stages in 'the operation.. In Fig. 5 the tripping lever and tilting frame are shown in normal position'withthe'tilting frame resting upon its supporting barl and the hooks 23 projected upward toform .la yretaining stop'for the When the upper elevatorf platform E has j reached-the'position shown `in Fig.` 6 it-will have engaged the lever V30 and turned it upon its pivot, thereby withdrawing the hooks23 and tilting the tilting'fr'ame so that tlieforemost' box Gr -is not only free to travel down onto the loading-platform, but will be assisted in its descent by the tilting of the frame F. At this moment of time the upper elevator .platform E will almost have reached thek upper vend of the lever, while the elevator platform' below will almost have j reached the loading platform. It will be seen that the upper end of the tripping lever 30 has a slight inward `curve, so that the frame F will remain engaged by the elevator platform for an -instant after it has been drawn from the vpath of t-hepackages, so as to allow time' for the package G to run down off the tilting frame before the lever is released.

L'tilted and the hooks 23 have been Withj In Fig. 7 the upper elevator platform is Y, e

shown just moving pastt'the `end` ofl the tripping lever so as to release the lever', while the foremost package G is just leav- .ing the tilting frame and the'lo'wer elevator platform E is just reaching lthe loading platform to pick up the package.

` InFig.-'8 .the tilting lever 30 and the tilt'- ing frame F have been released and fallen back into their normal position shown in .Figa 5'whil'e the lower elevator platform has `picked up the' package Gr and is carrying it up, and the retaining hooks 23 are again inthe path of the packages coming Thus ity will be ceeding packages coming down the gravity carrier will-be checked and 4held until the Y the elevator andimoved-'oiit -of'l their way,

andthat the release and? discharge 'ot" the packagefrom the-carrier i to the elevator. .is

lantematica-Hy' eoiitrolled and regulated byf the' engagement ofthe upper elevator plat'- formuwith the tripping lever, fandA that the.

l operationoftliese,devices'inaybe so timed with the'.'arrival'of-'anotherascendingfele 1 .vatoi' :platform at any' desired point. --It will-be understoodt-hat by using the termv frame for -the .packag etilting tion, 'the claims.`

as to bring aboiift'the transfer of eachpak' age5 to. the loading `'platform coincidently structure ,here shown and described, I do not ineanto'. :limit myself to the specific 4Iclaim asiny invention :5; Y. f

1. The combination', with argravity rier and a 'straight liftV elevatomofan anxiliary oscillating .'carrier section `,arrangedatthe dischargeend ofthe carrier and have` ing fulcrum support atgitsfforward end,

said oscillatingl seetionfg resting-normally' in line withthe carrier v``and 'adaptedto reiuive` packages therefrom, `and meansv operatively/1 l .connected with the oscillating-section' and i l v viliary tilting carrier 'section arranged at the actuated-` by the ttravel of. theigelevato'rfor raising the oscillating Sectio ',riifpoiiits fii'l-` criimsupport coincidently with the .arrival of an. elevator .platforniat :a predetermined l 2. The combination, l"with Aa gravity carrier and :L -straight lift elevator, of an auxdischarge endv of the carrier and having ful- 4 ernmsiipport at itsforward end,`said tilting v section 'resting normally iinl line "with the .carrier and adapted to receive packages therefrom, a packagevstop arranged at the forward end of the tilting section' and stand- 'ing normally linf the' path of descend-ing packages, and means operatively `connectctl with' the tilting sectionand stop and actu-- ated bythe travel-of the elevator for raising the tilting, section .upon its fiilcrii'in spp'ort I at predetermined times and coincidently withdrawing the stop.

3. The combination, with .a gravity carrier and a'straight lift'elevator, of an voscillating tilting section arranged at thel discharge end of the carrier and forming a continuation thereof, rollers carried by 'said tilting section, and means operatively connected 'with said tilting section and actuated by the travel of the-elevator for tilting the tilting section at predetermined times.

- 4. The combination,with a gravity carrier having side bars, a straight liftlele" Iranged within the side' bars ofthe carrier andl pivotally supported thereon at the discharge end thereof, rollers,carriedfby'rthetiltingsection and projecting abovethe side `rails-of the carrier, and -means operatively connected' with the `'tilting section and actu- 'vvatorpijof an oscillating v.tiltingsection ar-` ated by `tlietravel-ofthe elevator for tilt# ing. the tilting C section'., at

predetermined lting tilting.sectionz'arraiiged atthe discharge end of. the carrierand resting no rmallywithin-and' upon the 'carrier frame, saidtilting sectionhaving fulcru'm support at itsforward end' upon the carrier` frame,

5. The combination, with a gravity carrier anda -straight .li-fteleva-tor,'ofan'oscil rollers carried by said til'tingsection, a rock i 'shaft arrangedjtransversely" of the tilting vsection and operatively connected therewith, 'and means Aactuated by the Itravel of theelepvator forturning the rock shaft and thereY A b y tiltingthe tilting frame'at predetermined `times. Y.; v 6; 4The combination with a gravity car iierfaiidia straight lift elevator, 'of al pack- 'page `tilter arrangedvat 'the lower endJ of the carrier, rollers carried thereby,- a package 'stop arrangedat .theuforward 'end of the said tilter and stopy and actuated by the .travel of thelelevator" for withdrawing the tilter, andineaiis operatively connected with.

stop and' tilting the tilter coincidentlywith Ithe'arrival of' an ,elevator platform at a predetermined point. 1

` 7.`The combination with` a gravitycar-l ilatory tilting section supported -upon/ the carrier in position to-receive packages therefrom, a package `stop: pivtally 'supported upon thevcarrier and operatively connected rier anda straight lift elevator, of an'oscil- `with said tilting section, said stop standing in ,the'path of descending packages when the tilting sect-ion is innorm'al package re-l ceiving position,- and means operatively coni nected withsaiddevice" and actuated by the v elevator in its vtravelfoif tiltingsaid device at predetermined times, whereby 'the package' stop is moved out .'of thepath of the' packages and the foremost package is projected intofthe path of the elevator.l

device arranged latl the discharge end'o the .carrier in position to receive packages there'- '8. The combination with a;` gravity carf v rier and a straight lift elevator, of a tilting.

supported upon the carrier and operativelyv connected with lthe tilting device, a pivotally moi'inted tripping leverstandingnor-l mally in the zpath' ofthe elevator, a rock shaft having link connection with the rear end of thetilting device, a crank-arm keyed Vv to the rock shaft anda link operatively connectingV 'the 'tripping lever v with said `crank garni, whereby the tripping lever is 12o from, package detaining means pivotallyy actuated by an ascending elevator to tilt the tilting device at predetermined times.

9. The combination with a gravity car` vrier and a Straight lift elevator,A of a tilting device arranged at the discharge end of the carrier and having'rollers journaled therein, an oscillating bar having at the rear pivotal connection yWith said device and at the iront a' package retaining hook projected .up above the rollers of said device; and

means actuated by the upward travel of the elevator for tilting said device and thereby 'withdrawing'said hook. coincidently with the arriva-lfof an ascending elevator form at a predetermined point.

l0.. TheA combination withl a gravity carplat- `rier and a straight lift elevator, of a tilting operatively connected With said tilting device and package stop and actuatedby the upward travel of lthe elevator to tilt said device and Withdraw said package stop coincidently with the arrival of an elevator platform at a predetermined point.

In testimonywhereof I ailix my 'signature inpresence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES H. LIsTER.

,VVitnessest l ARTHUR P. LorHR'oP,l H. SMITH, 

